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b.
5 Oct. 1788
at
Coedriglan
, near
Cardiff
, the son of
LlewellynTraherne
, who had inherited the
Coedriglan
estate. The family traced a long descent on the female side from the
Herberts
of
Swansea
, and in the
17th cent.
, and probably earlier, were settled at
Castellau
near
Llantrisant
. He was educated at private schools before he went to
Oriel College
,
Oxford
, in
1807
; he graduated in
1810
. He was ordained a
deacon
in
1812
and
priest
in
1813
, but never held any living. From
1844 to 1851
he was, however,
chancellor
of the
diocese of Llandaff
.

He records that, at
Oxford
, having no turn for classics or mathematics, he attended botanical, chemical, and anatomical lectures. His
scientific interests
were shown by election to the
Linnean Society
in
1813
, to the
Geological Society
in
1817
, and above all to the
Royal Society
in
1823
, but no real record of his scientific work remains. Curiously enough he was not elected to the
Society of Antiquaries
until
1838
. His acquaintance with the leaders of the scientific and literary worlds was extensive; see letters from several of his correspondents in
N.L.W. MSS. 6598-6600
. He m.,
23 April 1830
,
Charlotte Louisa
, third daughter of
Thomas ManselTalbot
,
Margam
; note that there is evidence that he delved deeply into the
Margam muniments
(now in
N.L.W.
); his wife was also deeply
interested in history and literature
. About
1823
he demolished the old house at
Coedriglan
on the ridge land, and erected a most gracious Regency house on the lower slopes of the hill, which is still happily in the possession of his successors.

Many of his writings were anonymous or written under pseudonyms, but he gave great assistance to his friends, e.g. to
L. W.Dillwyn
(q.v.)
, author of
Contributions to the History of Swansea
. His chief work was as
editor
of the
Stradling Correspondence
,
1870
, and among others may be mentioned
Historical Notices of Sir Matthew Cradock
,
1840
, and
Lists of Knights of the Shire of Glamorgan
,
1822
. He was deeply versed in the history of
Glamorgan
. He d. at
Coedriglan
on
5 Feb. 1860
, without issue. Many of his manuscripts passed to his friend,
SirThomasPhillipps
(q.v.)
, and are now in the
Central Library
,
Cardiff
, but large numbers came to the
National Library of Wales
from
ladyManselFranklen
,
S. Hilary
,
Glamorgan
— for details see
N.L.W. Handlist of MSS
., ii, 188-98. See also
N.L.W. MSS. 6522-8, 6577-8, 6583, 6591
. He is not to be confused with another distinguished antiquary,
G. G. T.Treherne
(q.v.)
.